Monday, May 2, 2011

I chose this beer as a reviewable beer for 1 reason. The brewery. Victory. Reminds me of the victory for the free world over terrorism last night, When the Navy SEALS took out Osama Bin Laden. But enough! Let's get down to the review.

This is a hoppy beer. Hoppier than any other Victory offering I've had so far. The hops are more in your face too. The nose of the beer is hoppy, and it just gets hoppier from there. The flavor is great, slightly malty with a huge in your face helping of hops. And the aftertaste? You guessed it, hops. You would think that this sort hop flavor and smell could be a turn off for this beer. But it isn't. And I'll explain why.

This is not a session beer. This is a one and done beer. You have one, enjoy the flavor, smell, taste, mouthfeel etc. Then you think to yourself, "I could have another one of those.... Tomorrow." Which is true. So give it a shot. Enjoy it! It tastes great, looks greats, smells great. Have one and see for yourself.

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Everyone has had Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale. It has become a symbol of craft brewing. And many have tried Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale, a wet hopped (read ultra fresh) IPA. But Glissade? Now there is a Sierra Nevada beer not many people have tried. And I aim to change that.

This beer is delicious. From the first Sip, you'll be hooked. IT's a fairly malty beer, with a very subtle hop flavor. Which is different from most of Sierra Nevada's offerings. But different in a good way. The hop flavor is there, but by not using so much of it, it really allows the malt of this beer to shine through. And the malt they use in this beer has a nice sweet flavor to it. The combination is a clean sweet beer, with just a touch of hop flavor.

All in all, try this beer. Everything I have reviewed up to now, I have had before I tried it for the review. This is my first new beer. And it really impressed me. Not only would I buy this beer again for myself, I would buy it for the stranger next to me at the bar, just so they could try it too. Definitely worth a shot.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

This is a nice beer. And I normally don't like Cervezas, but the I like this one. Even the label looks cool. But this beer is everything that Corona wants to be, minus the lime. Corona, for me at least, has always been lacking something. I can't put my finger on it, but it's missing something. Sol, on the other hand, delivers.

It is a nice refreshing beer. Clean tasting, malty, it goes down easy. And the next one goes down easy too. And the one after that. This is most assuredly a session beer. I think it would probably go down even better on the beach, in July, but I'll have to test that out in a couple of months and get back to you.

In short, this is definitely a must try. Just grab a sixer. I'm not saying you will have this beer in your house all the time. But in the summer, this is a great beer to have on hand, for a picnic, or a beach trip, or whatever. So give it a shot, let me know what you think.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

This beer is a homebrew. I made it. So I'm sorry, I can't tell you to go out and buy one, or where you can get one. You can only get one from me. And maybe someday I'll have a giveaway on this blog, with some homebrew as a prize. But until then, just sit back, and trust me.

My 219 IPA is a nice hoppy IPA. It has a strong hop flavor, and is tempered a little bit by a nice malt body, which imparts a caramel, creamy flavor to the beer, especially in the nose. It is carbonated evenly throughout, and has a very smooth mouthfeel, something I have really been trying nail down in my beers. The aftertaste is subtle, but hoppy, and leaves you wanting more.

Is this a perfect beer? Not by any stretch of the imagination. Just try the 21st Amendment Brew Free or Die IPA, and you'll taste something worth remembering. But for my first really good homebrew recipe, I would call it a winner. And if you could taste it, I think you would too.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

I feel as though I have to review this beer, since I live so close to where it's brewed. And in my area, if you order a beer at a bar, and you want a Yuengling, you just ask for a lager. It is the most ubiquitous beer in my area. Some places my serve Coors, some Miller, some Bud, but everyone serves Yuengling.

And they serve it for a reason. It is the beer to have if you want a session beer. You can drink Yuengling Lager all day and all night, and never get tired of it. Is it the greatest beer in the world? Not hardly. Nothing about the taste really stands out. It is a perfectly serviceable lager. But there is just something about it, at least in my area. It's a local beer, from the oldest brewery in the country. It has history.

And that, I think, is it's selling point. Philadelphia is a historical place, and we always stand behind our own. It doesn't matter how terrible a sports team is, or how silly a parade on January 1st may look, Philly sticks by its own. And Yuengling Lager is no exception. It's a Philly beer, brewed by Philly people. And it doesn't matter what it tastes like, I'll never stop drinking it.

Friday, April 22, 2011

This is a great beer. It's a great beer for many reasons. Taste, color, price, container, smell, it has it all. This is an in your face IPA that comes at you in a can. Cracking that can, besides giving you that satisfying sound, lets a hoppy aroma free that few beers can match. This beer simply smells great.

Then you take a sip. This is an IPA, and there is no mistaking that fact. It's an in your face hoppy beer, and it is proud of it. Smooth, and with a nice hop bitterness, this beer is simply delightful. And cracking open a 12 ounce can is something you will do often once you've had this beer. I hate to call any beer my favorite beer, but this is definitely right up there.

It's a perfect beer for whenever you're drinking. Easy to drink, big on flavor, and big on alcohol, this is everything you want in an IPA. and since it is in a can, it's easier to take with you than most bottled beer is. All in all, this is one of my favorite beers, and definitely a must try.

Maybe you've heard of this beer, maybe you haven't. If you're reading this, and you're a fan of Budweiser or Coors Original, I highly recommend you give this beer a try. It's taste to price ratio is through the roof. It doesn't have any overpowering hop flavor, but it does have a nice malt flavor to it. Its flavorful enough that it doesn't taste plain like some watery beers do, but it gives enough flavor not to bore the palate.

It's a beer I would serve at a party, or at a tailgate. It's pretty cheap, but you're getting a good value for your dollar. Plus, it isn't a widely recognized name, so you can have it at a party and when people ask about it, you have an instant conversation starter.

In short, its a serviceable session beer. It isn't anything I would show off or call my favorite, but when I'm looking for a cheap six pack to drink during a game or have while I'm sitting on my back porch, Genesee is definitely on my list.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

I had homebrew club today, and before we went, my girlfriend and I ate dinner at Fridays, and their beer special was Bud Light Lime. So I thought, what the hell, I'll review that. So here goes.

Bud Light Lime
Anheisser Busch Brewery
4.2% ABV Light Lager

This beer is, I believe, AB's attempt to create their version of Corona. While Corona is a perfectly serviceable beer, this beer is not. The forced lime flavor dominates what can only be described as an otherwise lifeless beer. When poured, it doesn't present much of a head, and what little there is disappears quickly. Then you take a sip. The beer is thin, as a bud light is. The lime is almost overpowering, as there really isn't any other flavor to speak of in the beer.

In short, this is not a good beer. If you want a cerveza style beer, try something else. This is a watery, thin, insulting excuse of a beer to subject your palate to. If you want my advice, skip it for something else.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

This beer really got me excited. As I said before, I love hops. And when i saw Hop Wallop on the shelf, I couldn't resist buying it. My first pour showed it to be nice yellow ale, with a thin layer of white head. A beautiful looking IPA if I do say so. Victory really nailed the presentation, I'll give them that. But the real question is, did they get the taste right?

In short, yes. It is a crisp clean beer, and very refreshing. It has a nice flavor, and despite the name, it isn't overpoweringly hoppy. Which is the one thing that disappointed me. I wanted a big hoppy beer, and I didn't get it. But given the ABV, I was very surprised at how smooth the beer was.

All things considered, Hop Wallop is a good beer. It doesn't quite deliver when it comes to the hoppiness advertised, but if you want a nice beer that packs a surprising wallop, give this beer a shot.

I plan to use this blog as a way to review beers that I try. You can either take my advice as a hophead trying to expand his palate, or ignore me as someone who has no real opinion of beer. Let me know in the comments. And now, my first review.
Long Trail Pale Ale
Long Trail Brewery, Vermont
This is a nice pale ale. It has nice hop character, especially after you swallow. The citrus flavor of the hops compliment the malt flavor you get on your first sip. The color of the beer in the glass is a little darker than I expected for a pale ale, but the contrast between the color of the beer and the white foam of the head make it a looker when it is poured.
Being my first review, I thought I would also review a beer from a brewery I have never had before. Long Trail has impressed me. The Pale Ale and IPA markets are popular right now, and there are a lot of options out there for a beer drinker. But Long Trail has made a beer that a hophead will enjoy, without creating something so overbearing that someone who isn't a craft beer fanatic can't enjoy it.
In short, this is definitely a must try. It's a nice beer, easy to drink, and it would go well after a hard day of yard work, or tailgating before a game. Give it a try, and let me know what you think.